Did we learn anything about the Black Caps in their first ODI against Pakistan? Not really, the only thing to ponder is when will this bloody World Cup start!?

The Black Caps simply continue to do what needs to be done but it's hard to put it in to any great context for the World Cup as Pakistan resembled Sri Lanka. Pakistan looked like they lacked that bit of skill and knowledge of our conditions, Mohammad Irfan was the only bowler who troubled the kiwi batsmen thanks to him loving the bounce that our pitches offer. But even Irfan went the distance as the Black Caps' top order still managed to knock him round with relative ease.

Chasing 211, the Black Caps did it near perfectly. Sure Martin Guptill didn't get a 50 or whatever but he got a few runs so that's cool and he got an inside edge away for 4 through square leg #quality.

As expected, the massive over reaction about Ross Taylor was proven to be a massive over reaction by our educated cricketing news folk. I love that middle order as both Taylor and Grant Elliot have enough grit to stick out a tough spot, but they score. They rotate the strike and can smoke boundaries, perfect for the various stages of 50 over cricket.

Brendon McCullum, he bats a certain way. Sometimes it's going to work, sometimes it won't work, relax. McCullum has no ambition of anchoring an innings, he's the blazer which is why Guptill's scoring rate isn't so important.

With the ball, kudos to Kyle Mills. He deserves a whole lot of praise, but he's just showing why he was selected as he can be relied on to do a job ... the same reason Elliot was selected.

It's very difficult to see Mills break in to the best 11 though. But you need a squad to do anything in a tournament and Mills will be called upon at some stage in the World Cup. For me, the man who is in a tricky spot is Adam Milne. Bowling quick doesn't matter when you're bowling to batsmen of the class and experience of Shahid Afridi, which there will many of at the World Cup. Milne either has to be bowling really fast and scaring batsmen, or he has to be really accurate which is purely up to him. He's shown that he can do both, but the Stable's full to the brim of quality pace bowlers.

The man who should be hated by Mills and Milne is Trent Boult. Mills bowled super at the top but so did Boult with figures almost better than Mills' - 9 overs, 2 wickets, 25 runs @ 2.77 runs an over. Boult is showing that he deserves a coloured jersey which was a bigger question than can Mills still bowl well? Mills has been a gun ODI bowler consistently for more than five years so we know what he can dish up but Boult, we weren't sure about Boult.

Which brings me to me current top 11 - Guptill, McCullum, Williamson, Taylor, Elliot, Anderson, Ronchi, Vettori, Southee, Boult, McClenaghan.

The only real contentious area is the Stable, everyone else has their spots locked in but we'll still see plenty of rotation throughout the World Cup. Yes, the Black Caps won't play the same side each game, dummy.

You can't leave Tim Southee out. McClenaghan is the strike weapon who doubles as the bully. While Boult is quality. Southee and Boult with the new ball will trouble the many great opening partnerships that they'll face. There's many lefties in this attack with Corey Anderson a true blue all rounder, but having Grant Elliot bowling well is a huge boost and there's a whole lot of options.

It'll be bloody interesting though in this final ODI against Pakistan as I expect Pakistan to put together a much better effort, which will put the ball back in the Black Caps court. That's all I want to see, please Pakistan, please, just take the game to the Black Caps, put them under the pump and let's see how the Black Caps respond.

Otherwise, it will just serve as a elongated net session but at least it will be the last of its kind before the big dance.